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Pew … cut out on the starn of it； and sure enough she did。 Why；
ma'am； it was his old money…box when he was in the Guinea trade；
and they do say he keeps the rhino in it still。
MRS。 DRAKE。 No； sailor； nothing out of me！ And if you want to
know； you can ask the Admiral himself！ （SHE CROSSES； L。）
PEW。 Hey？ Old girl fly？ Then I reckon I must have a mate； if
it was the parish bull。
SCENE II
TO THESE； KIT； A LITTLE DRUNK
KIT （LOOKING IN OVER HALF…DOOR）。 Mrs。 Drake！ Mother！ Where are
you？ Come and welcome the prodigal！
MRS。 DRAKE （COMING FORWARD TO MEET HIM AS HE ENTERS； PEW REMAINS
CONCEALED BY THE SETTLE； SMOKING； DRINKING； AND LISTENING）。 Lord
bless us and save us； if it ain't my boy！ Give us a kiss。
KIT。 That I will； and twenty if you like； old girl。 （KISSES
HER。）
MRS。 DRAKE。 O Kit； Kit； you've been at those other houses； where
the stuff they give you； my dear； it is poison for a dog。
＇KIT。 Round with friends； mother： only round with friends。
MRS。 DRAKE。 Well； anyway； you'll take a glass just to settle it；
from me。 （SHE BRINGS THE BOTTLE； AND FILLS FOR HIM。） There；
that's pure； that'll do you no harm。＇ But O； Kit； Kit； I thought
you were done with all this Jack…a…shoring。
KIT。 What cheer； mother？ I'm only a sheet in the wind； and
who's the worse for it but me？
MRS。 DRAKE。 Ah； and that dear young lady； and her waiting and
keeping single these two years for the love of you！
KIT。 She； mother？ she's heart of oak； she's true as steel； and
good as gold； and she has my ring on her finger； too。 But
where's the use？ The Admiral won't look at me。
MRS。 DRAKE。 Why not？ You're as good a man as him any day。
KIT。 Am I？ He says I'm a devil； and swears that none of his
flesh and blood … that's what he said； mother！ … should lie at my
mercy。 That's what cuts me。 If it wasn't for the good stuff
I've been taking aboard； and the jolly companions I've been
seeing it out with； I'd just go and make a hole in the water； and
be done with it； I would； by George！
MRS。 DRAKE。 That's like you men。 Ah； we know you； we that keeps
a public…house … we know you； good and bad： you go off on a
frolic and forget； and you never think of the women that sit
crying at home。
KIT。 Crying？ Arethusa cry？ Why； dame； she's the
bravest…hearted girl in all broad England！ Here； fill the glass！
I'll win her yet。 I drink to her； here's to her bright eyes； and
here's to the blessed feet she walks upon！
PEW （LOOKING ROUND THE CORNER OF THE SETTLE）。 Spoke like a
gallant seaman； every inch。 Shipmate； I'm a man as has suffered；
and I'd like to shake your fist； and drink a can of flip with
you。
KIT （COMING DOWN）。 Hullo； my hearty！ who the devil are you？
Who's this； mother？
MRS。 DRAKE。 Nay； I know nothing about him。 （SHE GOES OUT； R。）
PEW。 Cap'n； I'm a brother seaman； and my name is Pew； old David
Pew； as you may have heard of in your time； he having sailed
along of 'Awke and glorious Benbow； and a right…'and man to both。
KIT。 Benbow？ Steady； mate！ D'ye mean to say you went to sea
before you were born？
PEW。 See now！ The sign of this here inn was running in my 'ed；
I reckon。 Benbow； says you？ no； not likely！ Anson； I mean；
Anson and Sir Edward 'Awke： that's the pair： I was their
right…'and man。
KIT。 Well； mate； you may be all that； and more； but you're a rum
un to look at； anyhow。
PEW。 Right you are； and so I am。 But what is looks？ It's the
'art that does it： the 'art is the seaman's star； and here's old
David Pew's； a matter of fifty years at sea； but tough and sound
as the British Constitootion。
KIT。 You're right there； Pew。 Shake hands upon it。 And you're
a man they're down upon； just like myself； I see。 We're a pair
of plain； good…hearted； jolly tars； and all these 'longshore
fellows cock a lip at us； by George。 What cheer； mate？
ARETHUSA （WITHOUT）。 Mrs。 Drake！ Mrs。 Drake！
PEW。 What； a female？ hey？ a female？ Board her board her； mate！
I'm dark。 （HE RETIRES AGAIN BEHIND； TO TABLE； R。； BEHIND
SETTLE。）
ARETHUSA （WITHOUT）。 Mrs。 Drake！
MRS。 DRAKE （RE…ENTERING AND RUNNING TO DOOR）。 Here I am； my
dear； come in。
SCENE III
TO THESE； ARETHUSA
ARETHUSA。 Ah； Kit； I've found you。 I thought you would lodge
with Mrs。 Drake。
KIT。 What？ are you looking for your consort？ Whistle； I'm your
dog； I'll come to you。 I've been toasting you fathom deep； my
beauty； and with every glass I love you dearer。
ARETHUSA。 Now Kit； if you want to please my father； this is not
the way。 Perhaps he thinks too much of the guineas： well；
gather them … if you think me worth the price。 Go you to your
sloop； clinker built； eighty tons burthen … you see I remember；
Skipper Kit！ I don't deny I like a man of spirit； but if you
care to please Captain Gaunt； keep out of taverns； and if you
could carry yourself a bit more … more elderly！
＇KIT。 Can I？ Would I？ Ah； just couldn't and just won't I；
then！
MRS。 DRAKE。 I hope； madam； you don't refer to my house； a
publican I may be； but tavern is a word that I don't hold with；
and here there's no bad drink； and no loose company； and as for
my blessedest Kit； I declare I love him like my own。
ARETHUSA。 Why； who could help it； Mrs。 Drake？＇
KIT。 Arethusa； you're an angel。 Do I want to please Captain
Gaunt？ Why； that's as much as ask whether I love you。 ＇I don't
deny that his words cut me； for they did。 But as for wanting to
please him； if he was deep as the blue Atlantic； I would beat it
out。 And elderly； too？ Aha； you witch； you're wise！ Elderly？
You've set the course； you leave me alone to steer it。
Matrimony's my port； and love is my cargo。＇ That's a likely
question； ain't it； Mrs。 Drake？ Do I want to please him！
Elderly； says you？ Why； see here： Fill up my glass； and I'll
drink to Arethusa on my knees。
ARETHUSA。 Why； you stupid boy； do you think that would please
him？
KIT。 On my knees I'll drink it！ （AS HE KNEELS AND DRAINS THE
GLASS； GAUNT ENTERS； AND HE SCRAMBLES TO HIS FEET。）
SCENE IV
TO THESE； GAUNT
GAUNT。 Arethusa； this is no place for you。
ARETHUSA。 No； father。
GAUNT。 I wish you had been spared this sight； but look at him；
child； since you are here； look at God's image； so debased。 And
you； young man （TO KIT）； you have proved that I was right。 Are
you the husband for this innocent maid？
KIT。 Captain Gaunt； I have a word to say to you。 Terror is your
last word； you're bitter hard upon poor sinners； bitter hard and
black … you that were a sinner yourself。 These are not the true
colours： don't deceive yourself； you're out of your course。
＇GAUNT。 Heaven forbid that I should be hard； Christopher。 It is
not I； it's God's law that is of iron。 Think！ if the blow were
to fall now； some cord to snap within you； some enemy to plunge a
knife into your heart； this room； with its poor taper light； to
vanish； this world to disappear like a drowning man into the
great ocean； and you； your brain still whirling； to be snatched
into the presence of the eternal Judge： Christopher French； what
answer would you make？ For these gifts